A Dragon's Love
by pink-neon
Summary: Draco Malfoy, Mudblood hater, finds out he's a mudblood himself. He starts to question his beliefs and in the process, falls for Hermione, who was having problems of her own. Will their love be a happy ending?
1. Revelation

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter  
  
CHAPTER 1: SECRETS KEPT  
  
It was a perfectly fine day in a perfectly fine place with perfectly fine people. The sun is shining, the clouds are blue, with only one tiny little flaw: Draco Malfoy is not his usual arrogant self.  
  
Draco Malfoy is known not just as a Malfoy but also as the villain plotting evil schemes about the Golden Trio of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, consisting of the infamous Harry Potter or The-Boy- Who-Lived, red headed and freckled faced Ron Weasley and Know-it-all and Smarty Pants Hermione Granger. But let's not talk about them, let's focus on Draco.  
  
Yes, he is the platinum blonde with a smirk on his face, referred to be the Soon-to-be-Death Eater and born to make everyone's lives a living nightmare. Salazar Slytherin and Lord Voldemort will indeed be very proud.  
  
Draco walked to the compartment he usually shared with his so-called friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Luckily, they hadn't arrived yet. He had just boarded the Hogwarts Express that will take him to his school, Hogwarts. It was his last year and like the rest of the students, he had to admit he would be missing the school after he graduate.  
  
But what will become after graduation anyway? He asked himself. He does not know.  
  
Sighing with no particular reason, he leaned on the window and gazed outside. Thoughts of summer haunted him and judging by his pale face and weary eyes, it had been affecting him more than anything. He barely slept and ate like he used to. But of course, he thought, who would care? Who would grieve if he died on the spot? Who would miss him? Who would go to his funeral? Nobody, because he was all alone.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps. He shifted his gaze just in time to see Crabbe and Goyle sit down, grunting all the way.  
  
"Where have you two been? I've been looking all over for you," Draco told them. Of course none of this is true, but they didn't care anyway.  
  
Crabbe grinned and pointed to the pack of sweets on his hand. "Those first years *gave* it to us," he said in his low, deep voice.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Typical," he muttered under his breath. Nobody could beat those two when it came to food. Well, maybe the Weasel could, he thought. Draco wished he could have better company, people who would be fun to talk to, instead of two brainless robots with bottomless pits. He would even be glad to have the Golden Trio in his compartment, he was sure he would enjoy taunting them. But he was sure he wouldn't regain his usual arrogance and his loathing for Potter and his friends, seeing that now, he was as weak as them.  
  
"Oh, Drakie..." someone sang in his ear, startling him.  
  
Draco groaned and scowled, not even bothering to hide his disgust. He knew that voice, that supposed-to-be-sweet and irritating voice that could only come from one person... "Pansy," he said dully, without even looking at her pug-like face.  
  
"Oh, Drakie! I've missed you so much! Why did you not write to me all summer?" Pansy said. She scooted closer to Draco and leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Ugh!" Draco exclaimed, pushing her away and sending her flying across the floor.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle continued munching on sweets without a care in the world.  
  
"Oh, Drakie, you don't have to be shy because Crabbe and Goyle are watching! But that's ok, I'll forgive you. See you later," Pansy said and with a wink at Draco, walked out of the compartment.  
  
"Eww! Can you believe that girl?!" Draco told Crabbe and Goyle in disgust.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle grunted in response.  
  
Goyle shrugged. "She likes you," he said, stating the obvious.  
  
Just then, for the first time in his entire life, Vincent Crabbe remembered something. "We haven't visited Potter yet," he told Draco.  
  
Draco was surprised at his "friend's" memory. "Oh, right," he said. He really wasn't in the mood to visit Potter and his supporters but he doesn't want to sound suspicious if he didn't continue his yearly routine.  
  
Standing up, he said, "Let's go."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Hermione! Over here!"  
  
Hermione Granger, the brains of the Dream Team and this year's Head Girl, smiled and walked towards her best friends and fellow members of the Golden Trio, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.  
  
"Hey!" she called. As soon as she stepped inside their usual compartment, she was greeted by tight hugs from Harry and Ron who were so eager to see her.  
  
"I-can't...breathe," she muttered.  
  
"Oops, sorry," Harry said and let go of his best friend. Ron did the same.  
  
"So, how's life?" Hermione asked, taking a seat opposite them to have a better look at her friends. Harry, bespectacled and green eyed, was no longer skinny and was at least six feat tall, his black hair as untidy as ever while Ron was just an inch shorter with a muscular built thanks to Quidditch.  
  
"Awesome! Harry and I went to Romania with Mum, Dad, Fred, George and Ginny to visit Charlie. The best part was no Percy!" Ron told her, grinning broadly. "And you?"  
  
For a moment, Hermione thought she might as well tell them the truth, after all, they were her best friends. She wanted to burst all her bottled feelings, the most unfortunate events that took place in her life that summer. But she couldn't. She would never, ever tell them unless she and her friends were ready. She didn't want to burden them any longer. Harry was already busy dealing with his painful scar and nightmares about Voldemort, not to mention the memory of Sirius' death. Ron, on the other hand, was having financial problems with his family.  
  
"Um, fine. The usual, you know, reading et cetera," Hermione lied. A wave of guilt washed over her. She never liked lying.  
  
"You know, you really should spent vacation with us next time. I'm not surprised you don't know the word fun," Ron told her, shaking his head.  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"Better than life with the Dursleys," Harry said bitterly.  
  
"Where's Ginny, by the way?" Hermione asked.  
  
"With her other friends, crying over her break up with some guy named Mark from Hufflepuff," Ron said.  
  
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "You didn't beat him, did you?" she said, knowing the answer.  
  
Harry and Ron flashed her innocent grins.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened. "You did?! Oh, Harry, Ron, that was very dangerous! You might get expelled!"  
  
Ron rolled her eyes. "Stop overreacting, Hermione!" he told her.  
  
Hermione sighed. There was nothing she could do to separate her friends from trouble. "Knowing you two, the guy's probably sent back home," she said.  
  
"Not really, we're not that merciless, Hermione. But..." Harry said thoughtfully, "...he'll probably need to go to the hospital wing first thing when we reach Hogwarts."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "You two will never learn," she muttered.  
  
"Anyway, congratulations for making Head Girl. We knew you would bag the title. From the first time we saw you on the train and when we felt your prescence..." Ron said dramatically.  
  
"Ron! But thanks, guys," Hermione said, smiling. She was glad at least Harry and Ron cared, not unlike other people. Suddenly, she felt like crying as memories came back to her. Oh no, she thought, not here!  
  
Harry noticed her and knitted his brows in worry. "What's wrong, Hermione?" he asked.  
  
Hermione tried her best to smile but deep inside she was panicking. "N-nothing!" she blurted out, louder than she intended to, which made Harry and Ron more suspicious.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yes, of course," Hermione lied.  
  
Just then, the compartment doors opened and Draco Malfoy came in with the Malfoy smirk on his face, accompanied by his cronies Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"Why hello, Potter, Weasley, Granger," he drawled, although there was something wrong the way he said their names. The disgust and loathing was nowhere and Hermione was surprised he didn't call her "Mudblood".  
  
"Go away, Malfoy," Ron said fiercely.  
  
Draco smirked. "Fine, I don't like the air around here anyway," he said, shrugging and the trio was even more surprised when he indeed stepped out of the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle both looking confused.  
  
"Ok...what was that all about?" Hermione asked, puzzled.  
  
"What do you mean? He may be a little weird, but he still hates us all the same," Ron told her with a bite of his chocolate frog.  
  
"Yeah, though he *was* acting very strange," Harry said. "I wonder what he's up to."  
  
Hermione and Ron shrugged. "Knowing him, nothing good."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Go away, Pansy!" Draco said irritably at the Slytherin table.  
  
"Drakie..."  
  
"Leave me alone!!!" Draco yelled, making the plates rattle.  
  
Pansy immediately closed her mouth. Everybody knew better not to get in Draco Malfoy's way, especially when he is in a bad mood.  
  
The Sorting had just finished together with some of Dumbledore's announcements. Draco didn't feel like eating and had instead, been poking and playing with his food. He was sure he left the Golden Trio confused by that act he did on the train.  
  
Walking in their compartment without calling names, Draco Malfoy, what were you thinking?! His inner voice screamed.  
  
"Well then, I'll just have to tease them later," he thought.  
  
He looked up and met Hermione's eye. She was looking at him, almost scrutinizing him. The nerve! he thought angrily and glared at her. She in turn, glared back and whispered something to her friends and they all looked at his direction.  
  
Probably talking about me, he thought.  
  
Suddenly, Dumbledore's voice rang throughout the Great Hall, startling everyone. "I am very sorry to interrupt your meals, but somehow I had forgotten to announce our new Head Boy and Girl," he said loudly.  
  
"This year's Head Girl could only be Hermione Granger from Gryffindor..." Dumbledore announced. There were loud clapping and cheers, mostly from the Gryffindors. "...and the Head Boy is none other than Draco Malfoy from Slytherin." The Slytherins cheered with all their might, receiving glares from the Gryffindors, and many girls practically drooled when his name was announced.  
  
"That is all. You may proceed with your meals. Thank you."  
  
Six years ago, Draco would've stormed to Dumbledore and complain. He would certainly call his father and together they would demand that Hermione was not worthy of the position. But that was before, before he found out about the dreadful secret. Now he didn't feel like doing anything.  
  
Pansy, who had noticed that Draco had cooled off, began cooing in his ear. "It's too bad you have to share a room with the mudblood," she said.  
  
"Shut up, Pansy," Draco replied calmly as he sliced his chicken.  
  
"A filthy, worthless, pathetic mudblood...such dirty parents she has, that Granger doesn't deserve to be Head Girl. Oh, Drakie, why do you have to suffer so much?" Pansy went on.  
  
"I SAID SHUT UP PANSY!" Draco yelled out loud for the whole Great Hall to hear. Everybody looked to watch the scene that had taken place.  
  
Pansy flinched and cowered in her seat. "D...ra..."  
  
"Say another word and you'll regret you ever lived," Draco whispered dangerously, his eyes glinting with anger.  
  
Dumbledore, who had seen what had happened, rose from his seat. "Could the Head Boy and Girl come here for a second?" he said.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Hermione followed Professor McGonagall to the Heads' dormitories, Draco keeping a fair distance from her.  
  
Finally, they stopped in front of a painting of a unicorn.  
  
"Your password is 'Dragonheart'," Professor McGonagall said and the portrait swung open, revealing the best room Hermione and Draco had seen in Hogwarts so far.  
  
"I believe the Headmaster and I had already mentioned all the information regarding your duties. I will leave you now to rest," Professor McGonagall told them and left Hermione alone with Draco.  
  
Hermione didn't want to deal with Draco right now, mainly because she was so spooked of the blonde. She knew even though he hadn't insulted her yet, sooner or later, he will. Harry and Ron made sure of that. But when she looked at him standing beside her, he didn't look so obnoxious, unlike the Draco everyone knew.  
  
"Well, Know-it-all, wouldn't you like to know where our rooms are? As you can see, there are no other doors except the entrance here," Draco spoke.  
  
"See? I knew he'd taunt me!" Hermione said to herself, though she didn't feel insulted at her being called a Know-it-all. "I mean, even Harry and Ron call me that," she thought.  
  
"Hello? Granger? I'm talking to you!" Draco exclaimed, shaking Hermione out of her reverie.  
  
"Oh! Well, if you were so kind as to listen to what Dumbledore was saying earlier, you would know that those identical statues in the corner lead to our rooms. Mine's on the left, yours on the right. Tap them three times and it will reveal the door to your room," Hermione said matter-of- factly.  
  
"Whatever," Draco muttered and without even thanking her, strode on to the statue on the right and bumped Hermione accidentally.  
  
"Watch it, mu-Granger!" Draco said, the word almost slipped off her tongue. He just couldn't say it.  
  
"Ouch! You are the one who suddenly bumped me on purpose!" Hermione retorted, clutching her shoulder that hurt. She fell to the floor the moment the arrogant Draco brushed past her.  
  
"I didn't do it on purpose!" Draco argued. But then, his expression changed when he saw something. There enough, as Hermion was rubbing her shoulder, exposed was a large, almost purple bruise that was once covered by her robes. He began to wonder how she could have gotten wounded.  
  
"Well, Malfoy, are you just going to stand there and watch me suffer?" Hermione said angrily as she got up from the floor.  
  
"Yes," Draco replied. He tapped the statue three times and when a door finally appeared, he went inside and locked the door. He lied down on his bed and began to ponder reasons regarding Hermione's bruise. He must admit that it was a little suspicious for her to have gotten one since she was always little Miss Perfect and she usually never gets into trouble. He thought that maybe something terribly bad happened to her. But then again, there are a million reasons that don't involve her being strange. But one thing was for sure, whatever the reason was, Draco was bound to find out.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Hermione lay in her room, curled into a ball, thinking about, this may sound crazy, but Draco Malfoy, the mudblood hater himself. She didn't want to admit it, but Draco had been kind of civil towards her. She couldn't help but think that it was very odd for him to not call her "Mudblood" like he used to. And she didn't fail to notice that just minutes ago, he had almost called her the disgusting term. Almost. Hermione did not know what force made him stop from doing so.  
  
"First, the incident on the train, then that scene in the Great Hall, and now..." she muttered to herself.  
  
But being the curious know-it-all who always wanted answers to everything, she was determined to solve the mystery surrounding Draco, at all costs.  
  
A/N: So, what do you say? Let me know by reviewing! 


	2. Blood Baths

CHAPTER 2: BLOOD BATHS  
  
Draco awoke with a start, blinded by sunlight. At first, he was surprised not to hear Crabbe and Goyle's snores, as he had grown accustomed to this every morning, then suddenly remembered he had his own room now because he was Head Boy.  
  
Yawning and stretching, he got out of bed and stood in front of his mirror to admire his own reflection, as he did every morning. He shuddered. Seeing his own grey eyes reminded him of his father. My father, he thought in disgust.  
  
Just then, a loud "OUCH!" startled him and he went out of his room to see what happened. He was obviously trying hard not to laugh at the fallen form of Hermione at the foot of the stairs.  
  
Even though he didn't loathe the girl as much as he did before, he couldn't help it. He laughed so hard at the sight before him.  
  
Hermione glared at him, massaging her butt. "Shut up, Malfoy! Don't start with me! I don't have a nice morning today!" she told him.  
  
Draco stopped laughing and approached her. "Really, Granger, it's not a crime to laugh," he said, smirking.  
  
"Well, for you it is-" Her sentence was cut short when Draco offered her his hand.  
  
"It is what?" Draco asked.  
  
"Nothing," Hermione said and looked suspiciously at Draco's outstretched hand.  
  
"I don't bite, Granger," Draco told her.  
  
"Oh, um..." Hermione said and hesitantly took his hand. "Thanks..."  
  
"Not that I care," Draco mumbled and he climbed up the stairs to grab his clothes and headed to the bathroom to take a bath. Though it wasn't as grand as the bathrooms in Malfoy Manor, he thought it might suffice.  
  
After stripping off, he took a dip in the tub and closed his eyes. Instantly, his thoughts wandered back to his no-good summer. He wished that he could just forget those uneventful things that happened, but he couldn't. He thought of what he had just did with Hermione, Potter's mudblood best friend. If his father found out what he had done, Draco knew he didn't care anymore and that would be one positive thing. He could do whatever he wants now. He is free at last.  
  
He glanced at the clock hanging on the bathroom wall. The short hand of the clock was pointing to eight, meaning he had been in the tub for almost an hour and classes are about to get started in a few minutes. But he couldn't bring himself to get up, the cool water was keeping him glued.  
  
Knock! Knock! Knock!  
  
"Malfoy, get out there this instant!"  
  
It was Hermione. She seemed quite hurried.  
  
"What's the matter, Granger? It isn't right to just bang the door while someone here's trying to relax," Draco snapped.  
  
"Well, it also isn't right to act like you *own* the bathroom!" she shouted back. Draco was positive she was fuming now.  
  
"It's not me who shouted, 'Malfoy, get out there this instant!'," Draco said in a high pitched, girly voice.  
  
"But you've been there for an hour! And I need the bathroom!" Hermione yelled.  
  
"Why the hurry?" Draco said.  
  
"Malfoy!" he heard her screech. "I'm going to be late for class! And so are you!"  
  
Draco laughed. The idea of Hermione, top of everything, being late made him happy. "Well, Potions is next and I'm sure Snape will understand the reason for my *tardiness*. As for you..." he said, chortling.  
  
He expected Hermione to burst anytime or to continue banging on the door, but she did nothing of the sort. "Malfoy...please..." she said, almost desparately.  
  
Had his ears deceived him? Here was Hermione who hated him, actually saying "Please?" Right then he decided to leave the tub, but not until he heard her say it one last time.  
  
"What did you say?" he asked, grinning.  
  
But there was no answer. He heard Hermione's footsteps and the loud banging of the door. Wondering what had happened, he stood up, dried himself, got dressed etc. and went out of the bathroom. He thought of going to Hermione's room to see what became of her but shook it off, remembering he still have classes.  
  
When he reached Snape's classroom, the lesson had already begun.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, it seems that you're five minutes late," Snape said coldly. The rest of the class looked at him. "Very well, take your seat and try not to be late again."  
  
Draco nodded and calmly walked on his seat between Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"I can't believe Snape just did that! I mean, the last time, he took 50 points from Gryffindor just because we were a few *seconds* late!" he heard Ron complain to Harry, who nodded furiously.  
  
That's when he noticed that Hermione's seat was empty. It surprised him greatly because Hermione never skipped classes. But then again, who would attend classes without taking a bath? He thought.  
  
But something was bothering him. What if something happened to Hermione? It would be all his fault. He looked at Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"Care to wonder where Granger is?" he said, trying not to sound worried.  
  
The two shrugged. "Dunno, never saw her. Maybe she's sick!" Goyle said happily.  
  
"Yeah," Draco said, "Sick."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Hermione, meanwhile, was locked up in her room, trying very hard not to think of the throbbing pain in her whole body. It hurt like hell. She was curled up like a ball, lying on her bed, letting silent crystal tears cascade down her pink rosy cheeks.  
  
Why does it have to be like this? She thought angrily.  
  
Suddenly, she became aware that the pain is increasing and she bit her lip painfully as she felt blood ooze from her chest, staining her new robes.  
  
When she couldn't take it any longer, she slowly stood up, although it was murder for her, and grabbed a small bottle on her top drawer and made her way to the bathroom. She hoped against hope that Draco had already left. He had already did enough by not letting her inside the bathroom and she didn't want him to know about her biggest secret.  
  
She undressed, even though with her every move, her body was struggling with pain. With her remaining ounce of strength, she went inside the bathtub and as she sat down, she pulled out the bottle, opened it, and poured three drops of it into the water, which instantly turned into a blood red color.  
  
Hermione just rested there and the longer she stayed inside, the more the pain reduced until she was completely relaxing.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
Lunch came and Draco still has no sign of Hermione. Maybe he could live with Hermione not attending Potions, but for her to miss all the subjects before lunch, he wasn't sure what to do.  
  
He looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw that the Wonder Twins were gone.  
  
However, he had no time to think of hwy, because Pansy immediately spotted him and started flirting with him. Disgusted and irritated, he left the Great Hall and hurried to his common room before she could follow him any further.  
  
To his surprise, there seated on the couch by the fireplace were Harry and Ron.  
  
"Ehem," Draco said, clearing his throat. "What do you think you're doing here? How did you know the password?"  
  
"We're not Hermione's friends for nothing," Ron replied.  
  
Has the world gone upside down? Draco thought. Hermione's disappeared to who knows where, and here were her best friends and Draco's enemies greeting him like they were old pals. But then he noticed that both were sitting, pale faced, like they were just stupefied. "What's with you today, Potter? Weasley?" he sneered.  
  
"None of your business, Malfoy," Harry said.  
  
Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Then tell me what happened to Granger instead?" he asked.  
  
Then, Ron was struck with a sudden suspicion. He grabbed Draco by the throat and pinned him to the wall. "You didn't happen to do anything to her, did you?" he asked fiercely.  
  
Harry, who's smarter than Ron, tried to stop him. "Ron, let's not jump into conclusions," he told him.  
  
"Conclusions? You know he did it! After all, they live in the same room together!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Did-what? What exactly is going on?!" Draco demanded.  
  
"Put him down, Ron!" Harry yelled.  
  
Ron reluctantly did so.  
  
Draco coughed. "Thanks, Potter," he muttered.  
  
Harry and Ron looked stunned.  
  
"So what were you saying about Granger?" Draco asked instead.  
  
Ron felt his anger come back again. "I want to know what you did to her!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him.  
  
Draco was taken aback. "Excuse me?!" he said angrily. "I did nothing to her! Besides, I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
Harry refrained Ron from breaking Draco's neck.  
  
"Liar!" Ron spat. "What did you do to Hermione? How come she was taking a bath in blood!"  
  
"I told you it wasn't blood, Ron!" Harry insisted.  
  
Draco, however, was dumbstruck. "She WHAT?!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Don't act all innocent, Malfoy! You probably put her under the Imperius or something so she could miss all her classes and then soak herself in blood!" Ron said angrily.  
  
"Do you actually know what you're saying, Weasel? You don't even have proof!" Draco shouted back, angry that he was being accused of something he didn't do. Well, maybe it was his fault Hermione wasn't able to attend Potions class, but he didn't have anything to do with the blood thing, right? He wasn't sure.  
  
"You going here when everyone else is at lunch is enough proof that you've been plotting something!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"For your tiny brain to understand, Weasley, I skipped lunch because I cannot stand Pansy and not because of what you think!" Draco yelled.  
  
Harry, who was tired of doing nothing but watch, stepped in the middle. "Stop it! Ron, I think he's innocent."  
  
Draco smirked. "See? Even Potter believes me."  
  
"Harry does not-"  
  
"What in Merlin's name is going on here?"  
  
They turned around to see Hermione in her school robes, looking as normal as ever, although it wasn't what Ron and Harry were thinking. It was as if time froze, for no one was moving and three pairs of eyes were fixed on Hermione.  
  
"Well? Why have you turned silent all of a sudden? What are you doing here anyway?" Hermione asked, a frown etched in her face.  
  
Her best friends were speechless so Draco decided to just be truthful. "You see, Granger...Potter and Weasley saw you taking a bath in blood, and they were accusing me that I was the cause," Draco said casually as if it was nothing but normal.  
  
Harry and Ron shot daggers in his direction.  
  
Hermione, meanwhile, looked like she was Petrified. Her eyes were wide and her mouth wide open. For a moment she just stood there in the same position.  
  
"Hermione, it's not true, is it?" Ron demanded.  
  
Finally, Hermione talked. "Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter! I can't believe you! You were *peeking* at me while I was in the tub?!" she cried.  
  
So that was what she was thinking.  
  
Harry and Ron blushed as red as a tomato.  
  
"We were..."  
  
"It isn't what you think..."  
  
"It isn't what you think?!" Hermione exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
Draco cleared his throat. "Granger, calm down. Actually, Potter and Weasley here, went here just to check on you, seeing as you hadn't attended half of the day's classes and they walked in on you in the bathtub," he lied, but by the looks of Harry and Ron's dumbfounded faces, he actually made a right guess.  
  
"It wasn't our fault the door wasn't locked," Harry said simply.  
  
Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. "Well, I..."  
  
"So it's true you did bath in *blood*?" Draco wanted to know.  
  
Hermione stared at him, wide eyed. "Of course not! What non-sense!" she exclaimed.  
  
"But we saw it," Ron insisted.  
  
"Ron, it was just a new bubble bath flavor, dark cherry. It was really supposed to look like blood though," Hermione told him.  
  
Ron looked so embarrassed.  
  
"See? I told you it wasn't blood!" Harry told Ron, who couldn't utter a word.  
  
"I'll leave you three to kill each other," Draco said and after being watched by three pairs of eyes, he went to his room, an odd expression on his face.  
  
"I swear I saw her eyes wide with panic and worry..." he thought, "...she was lying...and I know it."  
  
++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for the reviews! I love you, people!!!!! What do you think of this chapter? C'mon, review!!! 


	3. Memories of Summer

CHAPTER 3: MEMORIES OF SUMMER  
  
Draco woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and panting. He was having another one of those nightmares he always experience since this summer. He gripped his bed sheets, trying hard not to remember the evil face of his father and the way he killed two certain Muggles, but he failed miserably. The memory was still etched in his mind as he continues to dream about it every other night.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Daddy, where are we going?" young Draco asked innocently.  
  
Lucius glared at him. "How many times must I tell you not to call me that inappropriate name? Haven't I taught you to address me as Father?!" he said angrily, slapping poor Draco on the face.  
  
"I'm sorry...Father," Draco said and tried hard not to cry as the pain in his cheek stung so badly.  
  
"You should be," Lucius hissed. "Anyway, we are going to play, Draco."  
  
Draco's face brightened. "Play?" he said excitedly. So far, his only playmates were his nannies.  
  
Lucius smirked. "Why, yes. And we're going to visit somebody too," he told him.  
  
"Really? Who will we visit, Father?" Draco asked happily.  
  
Lucius continued walking as if he didn't hear anything. Then, he stopped by a big door. "Ah, here we are," he said and opened the door with a bang.  
  
"Say hello to them, Draco."  
  
Draco looked around at the two people huddled inside. One was a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes and the other with white hair and grey eyes. They looked frightened so Draco decided to cheer them up. After all, he wasn't used to seeing many company. "Hello!" he said cheerfully.  
  
Lucius grinned. "Draco, that is not a proper way to say 'hello'. It's like this," he said, raised his wand and yelled, "Avada Kedavra!" A flash of light came from the tip of his wand and Draco stared fearfully as it hit the people beside him.  
  
"Oh, no!" he cried and went to look at them lying on the ground.  
  
The woman, who had tears in his eyes, cupped Draco's little face and whispered a faint, "I love you" before she and the man passed away. End of Flashback  
  
Draco did not know what he felt at the moment. All he knew is that he couldn't sleep. And so he didn't. He just lied on his bed and gazing at the ceiling, until morning came...  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
"Good morning, Ginny!" Hermione greeted as she sat beside her friend at the Gryffindor table. She was lucky enough to wake up earlier than usual, so she had the bathroom all to herself and she didn't have to worry about Malfoy.  
  
"Hey, Hermione," Ginny said, smiling brightly.  
  
"What's up?" Hermione asked casually. If this not-seeing-Draco-first- thing-in-the-morning keeps up, she would most likely be a morning person.  
  
"Nothing much. And you? How's living with Malfoy?" Ginny asked.  
  
Hermione tried to think of what to say. She, of course, loathe his every fiber, but on the other hand, sometimes he acts civil and almost nice, Hermione wasn't sure if he was just putting up an act or not.  
  
"Bad?" Ginny guessed when Hermione didn't answer.  
  
"Worse," Hermione told her, though she wasn't sure on what she said. "Anyway, where's Harry and-"  
  
"Hello, Hermione." As if on cue, her two best friends sat down beside her, Ron especially excited to try the new flavored waffles.  
  
"Morning," Ron said and immediately filled his plate with the new waffles, practically drooling.  
  
"Hi Harry, Ron," Hermione said.  
  
"Morning," Harry said.  
  
"You gotta try this, you three! It's delicious!" Ron told them, his mouth full as always.  
  
Hermione sighed. "No thanks," she said.  
  
Ginny wrinkled her nose in disgust. "And to think he's my own brother," she whispered to Hermione.  
  
"I heard that!" Ron said.  
  
Ginny shrugged.  
  
"Um, Hermione..." Harry began.  
  
"Yeah?" Hermione asked absent mindedly.  
  
Harry was looking nervous. "I know you probably have forgiven Ron and I-"  
  
"If it's still about what happened last night-"Hermione interrupted.  
  
"But still, I want to say that I'm really really sorry. I didn't mean to-"  
  
"I *know*," Hermione said. "Just forget it, ok?"  
  
"What I won't forget though," piped up Ron, "is the image of you in..."  
  
Harry blushed furiously. "Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, Hermione..." he said.  
  
"Oh, stop it!" Hermione hissed, turning a deep shade of magenta.  
  
Ginny quirked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? What happened last night?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Nothing!" all three said at once, a bit louder than usual.  
  
If people would've passed the Gryffindor table, they would find it very surprising to see the Golden Trio, faces as red as tomatoes. This did attract the attention of many students, especially those who belong to Gryffindor house.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, spill!" Ginny said.  
  
"What's going on? Why are you inseparable three blushing?" Lavender piped up. She had just entered the Great Hall with Parvati.  
  
The three blushed even harder.  
  
"Oh, it's...nothing at all!" Harry lied.  
  
Hermione gave him a look that told him he didn't sound very convincing.  
  
"Wonder what secret you're hiding..." Parvati said, smiling slyly. Trust these two gossip queens to figure things out.  
  
'S-s-secret? We don't have any!" Ron blurted out.  
  
"Sooner or later, we *will* find out," Lavender said, winking, then joined Parvati and the other seventh year girls in gossiping. Lucky for them, Ginny had also left to go back to the common room, leaving the Golden trio in silence.  
  
At last, Hermione spoke in a hush. "No one should find out about last night. Promise me, you two."  
  
"Promise," Harry and Ron whispered back.  
  
"But then, what about Malfoy?" Harry suddenly asked.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll deal with him later," Hermione said and went back with her pancakes as though nothing really happened, but had a glimpse at the Slytherin table where Draco was seen with Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"Hey guys, take a look at Malfoy. He looks sick," Hermione told Harry and Ron, jerking her finger in Draco's direction. Draco was unusually paler than usual, and was almost a sick shade of yellow, he had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was a little messed up. He didn't look in the mood to eat.  
  
"Wonder what had gotten into him," Harry said, eyes on Draco.  
  
"Maybe the house elves poisoned his food. Probably got sick of his arrogance," Ron said happily. "I mean, why *else* would he just stare at those mouth watering waffles?"  
  
"Seriously, Ron," Hermione said.  
  
"I must admit it is odd, but it's probably just some evil scheme. Maybe he's pretending to be sick or something, after all, the Quidditch match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw is just around the corner. Remember in third year when he faked that his arm was injured just so his team couldn't compete with Gryffindor?" Harry said darkly.  
  
"Of course! Who wouldn't forget about that!" Ron said bitterly.  
  
"It's not just *that*. It's, I don't know...he's been acting really strange since the first day on the train, like he changed somehow..." Hermione said thoughfully.  
  
"Whatever. Who cares about Malfoy anyway?" Ron said and busied himself with his food.  
  
Harry frowned. "Is it just me or are you actually being concerned about Malfoy's welfare all of a sudden?" he told Hermione.  
  
"Con-cerned?" Ron nearly on his waffles.  
  
Hermione shook her head vigorously. She wasn't concerned at all-or was she? "Of-of course not! What makes you say such a ridiculous thing, Harry?" she said in a high pitched tone.  
  
"Well, you've been noticing him more often..." Harry said.  
  
"I do not! And if I do, I couldn't help it. After all, he *is* Head Boy and we do share a common room. We *work* together. We *live* on the same room. For goodness sake! Are you sure you're ok, Harry? Because maybe you have a fever or something to say things that sound like...like I was sort of developing some feelings for the ferret. As if!" Hermione said. She didn't want to tell them that Draco had actually helped her the other day when she fell off the stairs, though she kept repeating to herself that he just helped her get up, nothing serious. But another part of her brain shouted, "Hello! Draco Malfoy does NOT help anybody!" But she knew Harry and Ron had believed her. She knew one of these days her acting skills would come in handy.  
  
"You're right, Hermione. We're really sorry we, or rather Harry, thought of such a stupid idea,' Ron said.  
  
"Yeah, maybe I do have a fever," Harry said, checking his forehead.  
  
"Why were we discussing *Malfoy*, anyway? Of all the topics in the world! Let's just switch to Quidditch," Ron said and soon became immersed in talking to Harry about the difficult skills a Seeker should learn.  
  
Hermione, feeling a little out of place, continued watching Draco out of the corner of her eye, for reasons unknown.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
"Drakie-poo, are you ok?" Pansy said for the umpteenth time that day.  
  
Draco was really getting tired at it. "Yes! For the last time, Pansy, yes! Now if you don't keep your mouth shut, I won't be fine and you'll find your head separate from your body!" he shouted.  
  
This seemed to get rid of Pansy because she gasped before running away to the opposite direction. Draco then went to his common room. He reckons Hermione is in the library as usual, studying.  
  
He sat on the couch and watched the fireplace like some interesting TV show. Since that nightmare last night, he hadn't been himself lately. And to his dismay, everyone in school noticed it. He found himself contemplating again about that uneventful, horrible day-that day a week before term started. *Flashback*  
  
"You called me, Father?"  
  
Lucius looked down at the seventeen year old reincarnation of himself. The same tall figure, pale skin, stormy grey eyes, pointed nose, platinum blonde hair and of course, the Malfoy smirk on his face...  
  
"You know very well what I want to ask you...Draco," Lucius said icily.  
  
"And you know very well what my answer is to that, Father," Draco said calmly.  
  
Lucius glared at his son. "And are you sure?"  
  
"Father, we've talked about this loads of times and –"  
  
"Don't take to me in that tone, boy!" Lucius snapped. He placed his hand on Draco's shoulder and smirked when he saw him shudder. "Reconsider your choice. You can be very great, you know. You will become our Lord's heir and the most powerful person when the time comes. You will make your mother and I very proud. Besides, you will only die during the war if you turn your back on us. Join the Dark Lord, join us," he said in a deadly whisper.  
  
"No, Father. I will never do that," Draco said. Lucius knew that when Draco made up his mind already about something, nothing could stop him from doing it.  
  
"Is that so? Well fine. You had dug your own grave, boy. You will meet your doom when the time comes...You disgrace the Malfoy name. All that training and knowledge of the Dark Arts, all for nothing!" Lucius hissed, enraged. "Anyway, come with me, boy. I have a surprise for you, *son*..."  
  
Draco looked at his father skeptically. Whatever Lucius had prepared for him, he was sure it was anything but good. Really bad, he thought as he realized where his father was leading him: in Lucius' old, dusty chamber full of cobwebs. Draco was sure nobody had cleaned it for ages.  
  
Lucius strode towards an unusual chest of drawers, where he pulled a large, thick and heavy green book with the big letter M on the center. Draco's eyes narrowed as he figured out what it was. "This is the Malfoy record book," he said.  
  
Lucius grinned. "Ah, yes..." he whispered. "Go on, don't you want to take a peek?"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Don't worry, it's not hexed," Lucius assured him. But he was smirking and Draco thought this as a bad sign.  
  
Draco took the book in his hands and flipped the pages, turning it to the page where his records were written. Scanning the data, his eyes landed on something...He let out a gasp. Just below the information of his birth date and age, were the letters bearing the words...  
  
Parents: Rhacquel Torrain and Paul Lorrence Vanquer  
  
"What the..." Draco said, eyes wide.  
  
"You see, you're adopted. And you're a mudblood."  
  
*End of Flashback*  
  
Those last words echoed in his head, and listening to it was like piercing him in the heart. Ever since that night, he had seen everything in a different light He even wondered if his parents (the Malfoys) really loved him. But of course he already knows the answer.  
  
"Malfoy, what on earth? Oh, you're such a wreck!"  
  
Draco spun around in his seat to see Hermione gaping at him. He didn't realize that he was sweating and he was looking shaken.  
  
"Hey, Malfoy, are you listening? Malfoy?" Hermione said and when he didn't reply, pinched him on the cheek.  
  
Draco winced. "What was that for?!" he exclaimed angrily.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You weren't even *blinking*," she said.  
  
"Am I supposed to thank you?"  
  
"No!" Hermione said and made a dash to her room.  
  
"Girls," Draco muttered under his breathe.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"I'll see you guys later at lunch, ok?" Hermione said as she picked up her backpack.  
  
"Ok," Harry and Ron replied.  
  
Hermione then made her way to History of Magic. Just when she was halfway to the classroom, a sudden throbbing of her chest made her stop. She leaned back against the wall and clutched her chest, making long, shallow breaths.  
  
Oh, my, not now, I've got classes...she thought.  
  
Lucky for her, the hall was deserted so no one saw her in this state. Making up her mind, she painfully made hr way towards the Prefects' bathroom, which is only two rooms away. She undressed, dipped in the tub, and before she knew it, she was bathed in, as Ron called it, "blood".  
  
Draco panted. He turned towards the other corridor and stopped to think. He had seen Hermione and followed her.  
  
*Something's wrong with her...I know it...*  
  
A/N: So how was that? Thanks so much for the reviews, people!!!!  
  
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	4. Advice, Advice

CHAPTER 4: ADVICE, ADVICE  
  
Draco strutted along the corridors of Hogwarts, enjoying the silence. It was very early in the morning, 6 am to be precise, and seeing as he couldn't sleep, got dressed and went out of his common room.  
  
He has to admit, it felt good to be without Crabbe and Goyle hanging on to his sides for a change. He stopped at the big entrance doors of Hogwarts and decided to go out.  
  
He inhaled the fresh air as he stepped out and made his way to the castle grounds, wind whipping his pale face and sending his platinum blonde hair I a mess.  
  
As he looked upon the sky, he thought, "What a nice day to fly". But seeing as he didn't bring his broom with him and he has no intention whatsoever to go back inside and get it, he just continued on his walk.  
  
Just then, his eyes landed on a figure by the trees ahead of him. He squinted and saw it was a girl, a very pretty girl. But when he approached her, he saw it wasn't just any pretty girl, it was Hermione.  
  
"Fancy seeing you around here, Granger," he greeted.  
  
Hermione looked around just in time to see face him. "Oh, it's you. What're you doing here? I thought you were still asleep?" she said.  
  
"I was about to ask you the same question," Draco said.  
  
"You're not the only morning person here, Malfoy. I thought you have figured it out the moment we got to live in close quarters," Hermione told him.  
  
"Yeah well," Draco mumbled.  
  
Hermione turned her attention to the skies. Draco tried to think of what she was thinking at the moment, but only ended up thinking that she looks so cute.  
  
"Malfoy, you look pale," she said without even looking at him.  
  
"Fancy you noticing," Draco said.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, Malfoy, everybody's been noticing that for the past few days," Hermione told him.  
  
"Really? Wow, I feel so special," Draco said sarcastically.  
  
"Uh-uh."  
  
"You know, Granger, it's what people call stress. Blame it all on those bloody professors who do nothing but give mountains of homework and projects on us," Draco lied.  
  
"Try telling that to Snape," Hermione said, laughing. "And anyway, I know you're lying."  
  
"Whatever. My business is my business. What about you, you've been acting strange since the start of the school year. Though those idiots you call friends are so thick to even notice. Imagine, they bought the story about your new flavored bubble bath," Draco said, looking at Hermione, though she avoided his eyes.  
  
"What makes you say that I lied about that?" Hermione said quietly.  
  
Draco chuckled. "There's no such thing as 'Dark Cherry' as a bubble bath flavor," he told her. And I saw you the other day pour something on the water while taking a bath, he was about to say but stopped himself just in time.  
  
Hermione suddenly became interested in her sneakers. "It's a Muggle one, Malfoy. Now, do you know about that?" she said  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Whatever. I know you're hiding something, Granger. You can't deny it any longer," he whispered in her ear, which sent tingles on Hermione's spine.  
  
"Ha ha. As if you don't have any secrets yourself. What do you think the Slytherin Prince has been hiding these days, huh?" Hermione said, determined to change the subject.  
  
"Stuff it, Granger," Draco said.  
  
Silence...  
  
"I might as well go. See you," Hermione said and without waiting for an answer, walked back to the castle.  
  
Hermione stormed angrily towards the Gryffindor common room a few minutes after her chat with Draco.  
  
"Of all the people who could've noticed my strangeness, it has to be him!" she thought, "Great going, Hermione!"  
  
"Godric's hollow," she said when she reached the Fat Lady. The room was empty, except for Ginny who was an early riser as well. She was sitting by the window sill, hands cupped on her face, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
"Hey Ginny," Hermione greeted, taking a seat beside Ginny.  
  
No answer.  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Ginny? Ginny?"  
  
"GINNY!"  
  
Ginny finally looked at her. "Oh, hi there, Hermione. Sorry, didn't hear you," she said without energy.  
  
Hermione frowned. "Is something the matter?" she asked worriedly.  
  
"Oh, no!" Ginny blurted.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, Gin. You have to be better than that. I can see you're lying."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Oh, c'mon, spill," Hermione insisted.  
  
And she did. Turns out to be, Ginny still likes Harry, and was having trouble whether or not she still has a chance with him. In the end, Hermione gave her a piece of advice that would hopefully solve her problem.  
  
"Thank you so much, Hermione," Ginny said, smiling gratefully.  
  
"No problem. Just don't forget I'm always here whenever you need help," Hermione said.  
  
"Thanks again," Ginny said.  
  
The next few days passed on a blur for both Hermione and Draco.  
  
Hermione was sitting on a chair by the fireplace in her common room one evening. News about the advice she gave Ginny spread out around the school (for Ginny and Harry are a much talked couple now) and the next thing she knew, people were asking for her advice about certain things. She, being the warm, kind Gryffindor, was too happy to give advice. Somehow, she had managed to balance her studies and her "career", as Ron and Harry said.  
  
She had just finished a reply to Mandy Brocklehurst's question. She re-read it out loud:  
  
DearMandy,  
  
I would suggest you brew the Fatillus potion, which is very easy to make (and the ingredients and procedures are attached to this letter) or you could read o to M.J. Junger's "Exercises, Pills and More" for further information regarding other Dieting solutions. Continuous exercise is also recommended. I hope you succeed.  
  
Sincerely yours, H. Granger  
  
Smiling, she folded the letter and put it inside an envelope.  
  
"You know, last time I checked at Flourish and Blotts, "Exercises, Pills and More" was already out of stock," said a cold, drawling voice behind her.  
  
"Malfoy," Hermione said, acknowledging his presence. "Well, did you happen to look in the library?" She looked at him and imitated his sneering voice, "You know, last time I checked, that book is in the library."  
  
"Well, I don't live in the library, unlike some people I know," Draco said. Due to many nights of lack of sleep and nightmares, he was ten times paler than usual and the circles under his eyes were darker than last week. "Anyway, how's it going, Ms. Adviser?" he joked.  
  
"None of your business," Hermione told him and began reading another letter.  
  
"Oh, c'mon, Granger. I'm bored," Draco whined.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Talk to me," Draco said.  
  
"Why don't you go bug someone else? Pansy, for instance," Hermione said, her eyes not leaving the letter.  
  
Draco looked mortified. "No way! I mean, she's like," he changed his voice in a high pitched one that Hermione recognized as Pansy's, "Drakie!!! Don't you think my nails are soooooo cuuuuuuteeeee??? Or she goes, 'What motif would you like for our wedding, Drakie?' She's so disgusting!" Draco made a face.  
  
Hermione burst out laughing. The way Draco imitated Pansy was absolutely hilarious. "She already plans on your wedding?" she said in disbelief.  
  
Draco sighed. "She thinks there will be a wedding," he said.  
  
"Shows how much she likes you."  
  
"Yeah, good thing she doesn't know the password to our common room," Draco said in relief.  
  
"Well, I suppose I could tell her," Hermione said, smiling slyly.  
  
Draco looked sick. "No way!" he said. "Granger, you wouldn't!"  
  
"Oh, I would," Hermione said calmly.  
  
"Granger..." Draco said almost pleadingly.  
  
"Alright, I won't tell. But remember," Hermione said as she gathered her things and stood up, "I could always let slip our password." With that she left for her room.  
  
"Oh man," Draco muttered under his breath.  
  
Silvery moonlight lighted his face, silver beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. Draco gripped his bed sheets tighter, willing all the memories to go away. But it just wouldn't. As each night passed, the nightmares became much more difficult to handle and he look wearier and weaker by the minute.  
  
He had tried absolutely everything, he asked Madame Pomfrey several times for dozes of Dreamless Sleep Potions, researched in the library and shocking Madame Pince to death, asked Professor Snape for a much more effective potion, all but to no avail. He still couldn't sleep because the nightmares won't go away.  
  
Sometimes he would even wish he could "Obliviate" himself so he wouldn't be able to remember all the bad memories, but that's just plain stupid.  
  
Draco frowned as a sudden thought struck him. He had been hearing that Potter had also been having nightmares about Voldemort and hurting his scar in the process. Now that's more terrifying than his case. But then, according to his sources, Harry was just drinking the Dreamless Sleep potion. But why does it not work for Draco? Is it because those nightmares were bad, real memories? He did not know.  
  
Then he thought of Granger. Sure, she was very bright and a good adviser—wait a minute, of course! Maybe, just maybe...  
  
"No!" Draco suddenly said to himself. "There is no way in hell that I am going to ask her for help!" He surely didn't hate her anymore for being a mudblood, and they were acting nice towards each other this year, but she's still a know-it-all, nose-stuck-in-a-book best friend of Harry Potter, his mortal enemy. Surely he couldn't ask her for help?  
  
The next day, same place, same time...  
  
Draco was sweating so hard, even the cold midnight breeze couldn't cool him off. That nightmare was making sleep out of the question again.  
  
He was really tired of this not-sleeping-at-night thing. Then, his grey eyes gleamed. He remembered something. He knew he would regret his decision sooner or later, but he was willing to risk it. His brain had only one thought in mind: "Potter's best friend or not, I need her help!"  
  
Hermione was in her bathroom. She had just finished another of her "blood" baths. As always, after these sessions, her brain is very relaxed and all her days' worries: studies, advices, friends and Malfoy, vanishes in her mind. She feels completely at heaven.  
  
After changing into her pajamas, she puller her hair up in a pony tail, and when satisfied, got out of the bathroom and found Draco reading the latest Quidditch magazine for the month.  
  
"Looking for ways to finally meet Gryffindor, eh?" she said as she sat down on an armchair opposite Draco.  
  
Draco looked up from the magazine. "I can beat Potter without this," he said, gesturing to the magazine.  
  
Hermione chuckled. "Yeah, right, ferret," she said.  
  
"Whatever, Granger," Draco mumbled, focusing his attention on the fire. He was debating with himself whether or not to swallow his pride and ask her now about help.  
  
Hermione frowned. From all the times they spent living together, Hermione knew for a thing that whenever she insults him of a ferret, he always gets angry. So now that he didn't, she thought maybe evil forces must have abducted the real Draco and left her with a fake one. "Something's wrong with you," she said. "What could it be?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Weren't you listening?" Hermione said irritably. "I said-"  
  
"Look, Granger, there's something we need to talk about," Draco said uneasily.  
  
"Uh-huh. You really are starting to freak me out, you know. First, you look like a zombie since I don't know when, then you haven't risen to my bait. What on earth-"  
  
"Granger, will you just listen? What I'm going to tell you is very unusual," Draco told her, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.  
  
This seemed to get Hermione's attention. She didn't know if it was the fact that a Malfoy was about to say something very rare to her, or the way Draco moved in his seat, he looked almost...nervous? "Go ahead, I'm all ears," she said.  
  
Draco took a deep breath before summoning up his courage. "Listen to this very carefully because I'm not going to repeat it again. I-I-I needyourhelpGranger," he said.  
  
I don't know what to say about this chapter, except that it's a little tad boring...I don't know if I'll be able to update early next time, coz I'm going to the beach this weekend and boy, am I so excited! ( LoL!!! I'm hoping to have some fun...Review please!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	5. Help and Fights

CHAPTER 5: HELP AND FIGHTS  
  
Hermione tried to comprehend what Draco had just said. "What?" she said weakly.  
  
Draco glared at her, though he couldn't help feeling very embarrassed. "I told you I'm not going to repeat it again," he said angrily.  
  
Hermione couldn't believe how Draco Malfoy could ask her, a mudblood, for help. Yet here he was. Well, if it isn't true, might as well take advantage of it she thought. She smiled sweetly at him. "Well, too bad because I really didn't get to catch what you said," she lied.  
  
Draco shot a pure venom at her. "I-need-your-help-Granger," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
Hermione smiled to herself. Indeed, this is a very rare event and she was lucky she didn't miss it. "What's the magic word?" she sang.  
  
If looks could kill, Hermione should've been dead by now. "Can you please help me Granger?"  
  
"Sorry, didn't hear you," Hermione lied, delighted at the look on his face.  
  
"CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME GRANGER?!" Draco shouted.  
  
Hermione pretended to think about it. "I don't know...I have 20 more letters to read..." she lied.  
  
"You made me grovel and practically kiss your feet and you're just not gonna help me?! Why didn't you say so? Who do you think you are, huh? I can't believe-"  
  
"Malfoy!" Hermione said, laughing. "Stop babbling! I will help you."  
  
"One of these days Granger you might just find yourself inside your coffin," Draco told her.  
  
"Whatever. So, what's your problem?" Hermione asked.  
  
Draco hesitated for a while but then finally spoke. "Well, I...you have to promise not to tell this to anyone," he said.  
  
"Why would I bother?" Hermione said, grinning.  
  
"Granger!"  
  
"Fine, fine, I, Hermione Granger, promise that I will not tell anyone about Draco Malfoy's embarrassing situation," Hermione promised, raising her right hand.  
  
"Yeah, fine. Well...it's like this...I am..."  
  
"Yes..?" Hermione looked eagerly at him.  
  
"I'm...having nightmares, Granger," Draco confessed.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened. "What?! The Prince of Slytherin is having nightmares?" she said, surprised.  
  
"Yes, I admit it!" Draco said, feeling himself getting hotter by the second. "Now would you quit the shocked face and get on with it?"  
  
Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself. "Sorry, I've just never thought you as the type. Well, that explains why you always look like crap," she told him.  
  
Draco looked affronted. "I do NOT look like crap!" he defended himself.  
  
"Oh, yes you do!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Do too!"  
  
"Oh, just tell me the cure and shut up!" Draco finally said.  
  
"Ok...Well, have you tried talking to Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione asked.  
  
Draco sighed. "Yes, her Dreamless Sleep Potion doesn't work for me," he told her.  
  
"Oh. Have you searched about it in the library?" Hermione tried again.  
  
"Look, Granger, I've done every single thing I can think of, no potion works for me. Hell, I've even asked Snape!" Draco said.  
  
Hermione thought for a while. "Well, that means we'll just have to resolve to Muggle ways," she said.  
  
"Ok, what is it?" Draco asked.  
  
Hermione was surprised. Was he really that desperate? He didn't even made any criticisms, she thought.  
  
"Let's see...I have a Muggle device that's like a radio, only it's not. The music are like, crashing waves, raindrops, you get the picture. It always works for me when I have a hard time to sleep. Just listen to it," Hermione said.  
  
Draco didn't look doubtful, which creeped Hermione out. Instead, he looked somewhat hopeful. "Really? Do you think it'll work?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, but..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But, I left it at home and so...I will have to how my parents to send it here and it'll probably arrive here...tomorrow," Hermione told him.  
  
"Oh," Draco said, disappointed.  
  
Silence passed as the two continued to gaze at the fire. At long last, Draco spoke.  
  
"Aren't you going to sleep, Granger? It's almost midnight," he said.  
  
Hermione stared at him. "I figured out you'd need some company since you can't sleep and well...I'm not really sleepy," she said, but couldn't help but yawn.  
  
Draco raised his eyebrows. "You don't have to do this," he said.  
  
"But I want to," Hermione said.  
  
Draco chuckled. "You're friends were right about you, you know. You really are stubborn, Granger," he said.  
  
Hermione smiled. "I sure am when I want to be," she muttered.  
  
For a while, they just sat there, talking about anything under the sun. Hermione forgot that it was Malfoy, evil jerk she's talking to and Draco thought no more that his current companion was a Gryffindor, best friends with The-Boy-That-He-Hate.  
  
Just then, the impossible happened. Draco's eyelids started to feel heavy and the last thing he remembered before slumber enveloped him was Hermione wrapping a blanket around him, kissing him on the forehead and whispering those sweet words that Draco will soon be wanting to hear, "Good night, Draco." Right then, he knew he would never forget the feeling of her soft, sweet lips and her warm touch on his skin, and he knew it, now, his problem had been solved because forever he would be plagued by dreams of her and the nightmares would be gone. Truly, the situation is very ironic.  
  
Hermione yawned. She had just woken up after hitting the snooze button of her alarm clock exactly three times. Getting out of bed, she headed to the bathroom, did her usual morning routine (brush, wash, shower, change) and was about to go downstairs for breakfast when she spotted Draco sitting on the couch, his head bent over a thin book about Thestrals, sipping hot cocoa.  
  
Draco, who had slept so well last night for the first time in weeks, was starting to look like his normal self again. "Want some?" he said, looking up from the book he was reading and lifting his mug.  
  
Hermione blinked. "Uh, sure," she said as she sat down beside him and watched Draco conjure a cup of steaming, hot cocoa.  
  
"Would you like sugar with it? Or more chocolate?" Draco asked, almost normally.  
  
"Uh...yes, thanks," Hermione replied, very confused.  
  
"You know, I've found Thestrals quite fascinating, I don't know why. Have you ever seen one?" Draco said.  
  
"Yes..." Hermione replied. She glanced at him. "You...you look like you had just...well, slept tight last night," she observed.  
  
"Oh, in fact I did," Draco told her.  
  
Hermione frowned. "You-you did?"  
  
"Granger, you have absolutely no idea how much I owe you. I never really want to say this, but thanks," Draco said.  
  
This is crazy, Hermione thought. "For what?" she asked.  
  
"For all your help. Now I can sleep without being woken up because of my nightmares,' Draco said, smiling his first genuine smile Hermione had ever seen.  
  
Hermione was looking more puzzled. Did Draco Malfoy just smile at me? She wondered. "I don't get it. I mean...what do I have to do with you sleeping better now/ You haven't even tested my advice yet! Then you say thank you and smile, which you never, ever do unless your under the Imperius! What has the world gone to?!" she said in disbelief.  
  
Draco's smile broadened. "Let's just say things have changed for the better," he said.  
  
"O...K...So does that mean you won't be using the Muggle thing I suggested?" Hermione asked.  
  
"If it's ok with you, I would still love to try it," Draco said.  
  
"Uh, Ok...I'll just, uh, go to...the hospital wing. I think I'm having a headache..." Hermione muttered.  
  
"Ok, see you later," Draco called after her. Wonder what's her problem?  
  
"Hermione, you've been pacing the room since you got here. It's already afternoon and you hadn't visited the library yet, like you usually do. You weren't even listening to our lessons this morning, which is very unusual of you, the teachers almost had a heart attack! Then you go lounging in the Prefects' bathroom again, bubble bathing. Are you sure you're Hermione?" Ron said worriedly.  
  
"Of course I am!" Hermione replied as she continued pacing.  
  
"Ok. Then, who did we help escape during 3rd year?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sirius, duh!" Hermione said then gazed at the ceiling as if all the solutions to her problems were written there.  
  
"Um, do you know the Order?" Harry tried again.  
  
"Of course! Order of the Phoenix, Harry! Do you really think it's not me?!" Hermione asked exasperatedly.  
  
"Um, of course not!" Harry lied. "Just asking..."  
  
Ron scowled. "If you're really Hermione, then what's wrong with you? Why are you acting so...so strange all of a sudden?" he asked.  
  
Hermione finally looked at them. "Because," she started, "the world had gone bloody crazy! First, Malfoy...Look at you Harry. Since when had Ron lost to you?"  
  
"Hey!" Harry said, feeling offended. "I do have some luck sometimes!"  
  
"And you," Hermione looked at Ron, "Since when have you actually studied for Potions?"  
  
Both boys glared at her.  
  
"You know what, Hermione," Ron said angrily, "It's not the world that's gone mad. It's you."  
  
Hermione narrowed her eyes at them then spun on her heel and marched out of the portrait hole.  
  
"She must be really egotistical to always underestimate us. She thinks she's the bloody Queen of England and the only one who get things right. And when she does get wrong, she never admits it! It's not your fault you beat me at Chess for the first time and it's not my fault I need to study harder in order to pass Potions," Ron told Harry furiously.  
  
Harry couldn't agree more.  
  
Draco, who was feeling a little better, had just finished practicing Quidditch with the rest of the Slytherin team when Hermione stormed inside the common room, practically breathing fire.  
  
He raised her eyebrows at her. "Anything the matter?" he asked.  
  
Hermione huffed and sat down on the arm chair muttering words along the lines of, "Bloody Harry and Ron", "I'll kill them" and "Always siding with each other".  
  
"Oh, I see you've gotten into another fight with your friends. What did they do this time?" Draco said, somewhat amused at how inseparable yet hot-tempered the Golden Trio are. He was kind of used of these fights, since living with Hermione meant suffering with her wrath. And when she is angry or depressed, hell break loose.  
  
"They were telling me I went nuts when it's really them!" Hermione burst out, crossing her arms over her chest and her eyes flickering dangerously.  
  
Draco laughed. "Really? I couldn't agree more," he said.  
  
Hermione started muttering incoherent things to herself yet again. She looked extremely pissed.  
  
"Want me to pull a trick on them?" Draco offered, hoping to lighten her mood, but...  
  
"SHUT UP!" Hermione yelled and like an angry lion, marched up to her room.  
  
Draco sighed. So much for trying...  
  
How was it? Come on, I need reviews!!!!! 


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